Rotatable storage rack

ABSTRACT

A storage rack for storing an object rack includes a mounting component for mounting the storage rack to a mounting surface and a receiving component for receiving the object. The receiving component is rotatably attached to the mounting component. The receiving component includes a receiving component base plate defining a base plate central section, a base plate peripheral edge and a base plate intermediate section extending between the base plate central section and the base plate peripheral edge. A plurality of retaining walls extends from the base plate. The retaining walls are disposed circumferentially and oriented so as to extend in a radial direction leading from the base plate central section to the base plate peripheral edge. Each pair of adjacent retaining walls defines a corresponding wall spacing. The retaining walls diverge away from each other in the radial direction so that the size of the wall spacings increases in the radial direction. The object is adapted to be inserted in one of the wall spacings.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the general field of storageaccessories and is particularly concerned with a rotatable storage rackfor storing relatively flat articles such as container lids or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most kitchens, whether of the household or of the professional type, aretypically provided with various types of containers having correspondinglids. For example, most household kitchens are equipped with containersfor temporarily storing food such as containers of the type made out ofa substantially transparent polymeric resin and defining a peripheralrim. Such containers are provided with a substantially flat lid forclosing the opening formed by the container. The lid is, in turn,provided with a lid rim having a peripheral recess adapted to fittinglyand sealingly receive the container rim.

Most kitchens are also provided with various types of cookware includingvarious types of pots and pans typically each provided with acorresponding lid. How and where the cookware and container lids arestored may vary substantially from kitchen to kitchen.

In some instances, the covers and lids are stored in a nested stack.However, most kitchens using this type of storage method are left withdisorganized piles of lids and covers. An intended user wishing toaccess a specific lid or cover must hum or rummage through the pile inorder to locate the correct lid for a given container. This exercise canprove to be both tedious and time-consuming.

In some kitchens, the pots, pans or containers are stored with theircorresponding lids in a side by side relationship. In other words, eachpot or pan has its corresponding lid resting contiguously. Although thismethod allows for quick and easy location of the appropriate lid, itnevertheless requires a significant amount of storage space.Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved storage rack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improvedstorage rack. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention,there is provided a storage rack for storing an object, the storage rackbeing mountable to a mounting surface, the storage rack comprising: amounting component for mounting the storage rack to the mountingsurface; a receiving component for receiving the object; the receivingcomponent being rotatably attached to the mounting component forrotation relative thereto; the receiving component including a receivingcomponent base plate, the receiving component base plate defining a baseplate central section, a base plate peripheral edge and a base plateintermediate section extending between the base plate central sectionand the base plate peripheral edge; the receiving component base platealso defining a base plate first surface and an opposed base platesecond surface; a plurality of retaining walls extending from the baseplate first surface, the retaining walls being disposed substantiallycircumferentially and oriented so as to extend in a substantially radialdirection, such radial direction leading substantially from the baseplate central section to the base plate peripheral edge; each pair ofadjacent retaining walls defining a corresponding wall spacingtherebetween, the retaining walls diverging away from each other in theradial direction so that the size of the wall spacings increases in theradial direction; whereby the object is adapted to be inserted in one ofthe wall spacings.

Conveniently, the retaining walls extend substantially perpendicularlyfrom the base plate first surface. Conveniently, the plate peripheraledge has a substantially annular configuration.

Typically, each of the retaining walls defines a pair of opposed wallsurfaces, at least a portion of at least one of the wall surfaces beingprovided with a friction enhancer for increasing the frictional forcecreated between the at least one of the wall surfaces and the objectwhen the object contacts the friction enhancer.

Conveniently, the friction enhancer includes a friction enhancingtexture formed on the at least one of the wall surfaces.

Typically, each of the retaining walls defines a longitudinallyextending wall anchoring edge anchored to the receiving component baseplate and an opposed longitudinally extending wall free edge, at leastone of the retaining walls being made of a resiliently deformablematerial allowing the at least one of the retaining walls to resilientlybend substantially laterally away from an adjacent retaining wall in abent configuration, wherein, when in the bent configuration, the atleast a portion of the wall free and anchored edges are in asubstantially offset relationship relative to each other.

Conveniently, the retaining walls extend integrally from the receivingcomponent base plate. Typically, the retaining walls are releasablyattached to the receiving component base plate.

Conveniently, the receiving component base plate has a substantiallydisc-shaped configuration and the receiving component base plate isrotatably mounted to the mounting component for rotation about arotational axis located substantially centrally relative to thereceiving component base plate.

Typically, the base plate central section has a substantiallydisc-shaped configuration and the base plate intermediate section has asubstantially annular configuration; the receiving component base platebeing configured and sized such that the plate peripheral edge is spacedrelative to the mounting surface by a greater distance than the baseplate central section when the storage rack is mounted on the mountingsurface. Conveniently, the base plate intermediate section is angledrelative to the base plate central section by an intermediate-to-centralsection angle.

Typically, the mounting component includes a mounting component baseplate for contacting the supporting surface; a mounting pin extendingfrom the mounting component base plate; the receiving component baseplate being provided with a pin receiving aperture for receiving themounting pin; wherein when the mounting pin is inserted in the pinreceiving aperture, the receiving component base plate is rotatableabout the mounting pin relative to the mounting component base plate.

Conveniently, the mounting component base plate is provided with afixing means for fixing the mounting component base plate to thesupporting structure. Typically, the fixing means includes a fixingaperture extending through the mounting component base plate.

Conveniently, the storage rack further includes a spacing protrusionextending between the mounting component base plate and the mountingpin, the spacing protrusion having a contacting surface for contactingthe base plate second surface and maintaining the receiving componentbase plate in a spaced relationship relative to the mounting componentbase plate.

Typically, the contacting surface is substantially smaller than themounting component base plate. Conveniently, the contacting surface isprovided with a friction reducing means for reducing the frictionalforce between the contacting surface and the receiving component secondsurface.

Advantages of the present invention include that the proposed storagerack allows for the storage of various types of objects includingsubstantially flat objects such as the lids or covers of containers,pots, pans or the like. The proposed storage rack allows an intendeduser to quickly and easily store a given object in the rack and retrievethe object from the rack through a set of quick and ergonomic steps,without requiring manual dexterity.

The proposed storage rack allows and intended user to quickly locate agiven object without the need for rumbling through other objectssupported by the rack.

The proposed storage rack is designed so as to store the objects in acompact manner in order to reduce the required storage space.

The proposed storage rack is designed so as to be manufacturable usingconventional forms of manufacturing in order to provide a storage rackthat will be economically feasible, long-lasting and relativelytrouble-free in operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the present invention will now be disclosed, by way ofexample, in reference to the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1, in a perspective view, illustrates part of a rotatable storagerack in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2, in a partial cross-sectional view, illustrates some of thefeatures of the rotatable storage rack shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3, in a partial top view with sections taken out, illustrates someof the features of the rotatable storage rack shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,the storage rack being shown storing a pair of items, the items beingshown in phantom lines;

FIG. 4, in a partial perspective view with sections taken out,illustrates some of the features of the rotatable storage rack shown inFIGS. 1 through 3, the storage rack being used for storing three items,the three items being shown in phantom lines;

FIG. 5, in a perspective view, illustrates a mounting component part ofa rotatable storage rack in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a rotatable storage rack inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the rotatablestorage rack, hereinafter referred to as a storage rack, being referredto, generally, by the reference numeral 10. The storage rack 10 isadapted to be used for storing various types of objects and allowingeasy retrieval of such objects. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the storage rack 10 isshown being used for storing relatively flat objects such asconventional container lids 12 of various shapes and sizes.

Although the storage rack 10 is particularly well suited for storingrelatively flat objects such as the lids of conventional kitchencontainers and cookware, compact discs, digital video discs, small booksor the like it should be understood that the storage rack 10 could beused for storing other types of objects without departing from the scopeof the present invention.

The storage rack 10 is adapted to be mounted to a suitable mountingsurface such as a table top, a counter top or the like. Although thestorage rack 10 is adapted to be mounted preferably to a substantiallyhorizontal supporting surface, it should be understood that the storagerack 10 could be mounted on a substantially angled or even verticalsurface without departing from the scope of the present invention.

As illustrated more specifically in FIGS. 2 and 3, in general terms, thestorage rack 10 includes two main components, namely a mountingcomponent generally indicated by the reference numeral 14 and areceiving component generally indicated by the reference numeral 16. Themounting component 14 is provided for mounting the storage rack 10 to amounting surface (not shown) while the receiving component 16 isprovided for receiving at least one and, typically, a plurality ofobjects such as the container lids 12 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

As indicated by arrow 18 in FIG. 1, the receiving component 16 isrotatably attached to the mounting component 14 for rotation relativethereto. The receiving component 16 includes a receiving component baseplate 20.

As illustrated more specifically in FIG. 2, the receiving component baseplate 20 typically defines a base plate central section 22, a base plateperipheral edge 24 and a base plate intermediate section 26 extendingbetween the base plate central section 22 and the base plate peripheraledge 24. The receiving component base plate 20 also defines a base platefirst surface 28 and an opposed base plate second surface 30.

As illustrated more specifically in FIG. 3, the receiving component 16also includes a plurality of retaining walls 32 extending from the baseplate first surface 28. The retaining walls 32 are disposedsubstantially circumferentially and are oriented so as to extend in asubstantially radial direction. This radial direction leadssubstantially from the base plate central section 22 to the base plateperipheral edge 24.

Each pair of adjacent retaining walls 32 defines a corresponding wallspacing 34 therebetween. The retaining walls 32 diverge away from eachother in the radial direction so that the size of the wall spacings 34increases in the radial direction. The wall spacings 34 are adapted tofrictionally accommodate the objects 12 therein.

As illustrated more specifically in FIG. 4, the retaining walls 32typically extend substantially perpendicularly from the base plate firstsurface 28. Alternatively, at least one of the retaining walls 32 couldextend at an angle from the base plate first surface 28 withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

Typically, the plate peripheral edge 24 is circular in configuration.Alternatively, the plate peripheral edge 24 could have a substantiallypolyhedral or otherwise-shaped configuration without departing from thescope of the present invention.

Each retaining wall 32 defines a pair of opposed wall surfaces 36.Optionally, at least a portion of at least one of the wall surfaces 36of at least one of the retaining walls 32 could be provided with afriction enhancing means or enhancer for increasing the frictional forcecreated between that surface and an object when the latter contacts thefriction enhancer. The friction enhancer could take any suitable formsuch as that of a friction enhancing texture formed on the wall surface36.

As illustrated more specifically in FIGS. 2 and 4, each retaining wall32 defines a corresponding longitudinally extending wall anchoring edge38 anchored to the receiving component base plate 20. Each retainingwall 32 also defines a corresponding longitudinally extending wall freeedge 40 located transversely opposite the corresponding wall anchoringedge 38.

As illustrated more specifically in FIG. 4, at least one of theretaining walls 32 and typically all of the retaining walls 32 are madeof a resiliently deformable material allowing the latter to resilientlybend substantially laterally towards an adjacent retaining wall 32 oraway from an adjacent retaining wall 32, in a bent configuration.

The reference numeral 42 is used, in FIG. 4, to illustrate schematicallya bent portion of a retaining wall 32. The phantom lines show theretaining wall 32 bent simultaneously in both lateral directions inorder to illustrate that a retaining wall 32 could potentially bend inboth directions. When in a bent configuration, the portion of the wallfree edge 40 is in an offset relationship relative to a correspondingwall anchored edge 38.

As illustrated more specifically in FIG. 2, the retaining walls 32typically extend integrally from the receiving component base plate 20.Alternatively, at least one of the retaining walls 32 could be eitherpermanently or releasably attached to the receiving component base plate20. Typically, although by no means exclusively, the retaining walls 32and the receiving component base plate 20 could be made out of anintegral piece of polymeric resin.

At least one of the retaining walls 32 could optionally be coloured orotherwise visually identifiable so as to create visually distinctsections of the receiving component 16. For example, the receivingcomponent 16 could be provided with an indicia marked on a retainingwall 32 or with an identifying tag (not shown) protruding outwardly froma retaining wall 32.

As illustrated more specifically in FIGS. 1 through 3, the receivingcomponent base plate 20 typically has a substantially disc-shapedconfiguration and the retaining walls 32 typically form a radial arrayor walls. The receiving component base plate 20 is rotatably mounted tothe mounting component 14 for rotation about a rotational axis 44located substantially centrally relative to the receiving component baseplate 20.

Typically, the base plate central section 22 has a substantiallydisc-shaped configuration and the base plate intermediate section 26 hasa substantially annular configuration. The receiving component baseplate 20 is typically configured and sized such that the base plateperipheral edge 24 is spaced relative to the mounting surface by agreater distance than the base plate central section 22 when the storagerack 10 is mounted on the mounting surface.

Typically, the base plate intermediate section 26 is angled relative tothe base plate central section 22 by an intermediate-to-central sectionangle 46. As illustrated more specifically in FIG. 2, theintermediate-to-central section angle 46 typically has a value of a fewdegrees. It should, however, be understood that theintermediate-to-central section angle 46 could have other values withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates in greater details some of the features of themounting component 14. The mounting component 14 typically includes amounting component base plate 48. The mounting component base plate 48is shown having a substantially disc-shaped configuration. It should,however, be understood that the mounting component base plate 48 couldhave other configurations without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

The mounting component 14 also includes a mounting pin 50 extending fromthe mounting component base plate 48. As illustrated more specificallyin FIGS. 2 and 3, the receiving component of base plate 20 is providedwith a pin receiving aperture 52 for receiving the mounting pin 50. Thepin receiving aperture 52 and the mounting pin 50 are configured andsized such that when the mounting pin 50 is inserted in the pinreceiving aperture 52, the receiving component base plate 20 isrotatable about the mounting pin 50 relative to the mounting componentbase plate 48.

The mounting component base plate 48 is typically provided with a fixingmeans for fixing the mounting component base plate 48 to the supportingstructure. The fixing means may take any suitable form including that ofan adhesive, cooperating strips of miniature hook and loop fibre,double-sided tape, or any other suitable means.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the fixing means includes a set offixing apertures 54 extending through the mounting component base plate48. The fixing apertures 54 are adapted to receive fixing component suchas screws, rivets or the like for permanently or reversibly fixing themounting component base plate 48 to the supporting structure.

As illustrated more specifically in FIGS. 2 and 5, the mountingcomponent 14 typically further includes a spacing protrusion 56extending between the mounting component base plate 48 and the mountingpin 50. The spacing protrusion 56 has a contacting surface 58 forcontacting the base plate second surface 30 and maintaining thereceiving component base plate 20 in a spaced relationship relative tothe mounting component base plate 48. Typically, the contacting surface58 is substantially smaller than the mounting component base plate 48.Optionally, the contacting surface 58 may be provided with a frictionreducing means for reducing the frictional force between the contactingsurface 58 and the receiving component second surface 30.

In use, the mounting component 14 is initially secured using the fixingmeans to a suitable supporting surface such as the shelf of a kitchenstorage cabinet, a counter top or the like. The receiving component 16is then rotatably mounted on the mounting component 14 by inserting themounting pin 50 in the pin receiving aperture 52 until the receivingcomponent second surface 30 contacts the contacting surface 58.

The rotatable storage rack 10 may then be employed for releasablystoring articles such as lids for containers, pots, pans or any othersuitable object 12. Typically, the objects 12 are slidably inserted in awall spacing 34 by sliding the object 12 radially inwardly in adirection leading from the base plate peripheral edge 24 toward the baseplate central section 22.

Since the retaining walls 32 converge radially inwardly towards eachother, the size of the wall spacing 34 between adjacent retaining walls32 decreases in the radially inward direction. The object being slidradially inwardly between adjacent retaining walls 32 eventually reachesa radial position wherein at least a portion thereof frictionallycontacts at opposed surfaces of adjacent retaining walls 32. Hence, theobject 12 is frictionally retained between adjacent retaining walls 32.

Furthermore, since a portion of the retaining walls 32 located adjacenttheir respective free edge 40 is adapted to bend laterally, bycontinuing to slide the object radially inwardly, the deformable portionof the retaining walls 32 contacting the object will eventually have atendency to deform laterally as indicated by the deflection generallyindicated by the reference numeral 60 in FIG. 3. This deflection in aportion of the lateral walls 32 has the potential to further increasethe retaining action of the retaining walls 32 on the object squeezedbetween adjacent retaining walls 32.

Furthermore, the potential for a lateral deflection of the retainingwalls 32 allows adjacent retaining walls 32 to accommodate objects 12having various configurations in the wall spacing 34 therebetween. Forexample, objects having a substantially non-flat configuration can bemore easily accommodated in the wall spacing 34 by the lateraldeflection of adjacent retaining walls 32.

Removal of the object 12 from the rotatable storage rack 10 may beperformed either by pulling the object 12 upwardly in a directionleading away from the base plate first surface 28 or by sliding theobject radially outwardly until the opposed surfaces of the retainingwalls 32 no longer contact the object.

Since the receiving component 16 is rotatable relative to the mountingcomponent 14, the receiving component 16 may be rotated in a desiredangular relationship relative to the mounting component 14 in order tofacilitate ergonomical access to selected regions of the receivingcomponent 16. This may prove to be useful in a variety of situations.

For example, the rotatable storage rack 10 may be mounted on a shelf ofa storage cabinet which only allows access to its interior content froma single direction. By rotating the receiving component, the storagecapacity of the storage cabinet may be optimized without compromising onthe ease with which objects may be either inserted into or removed fromthe rotatable storage rack.

1. A storage rack for storing an object, said storage rack beingmountable to a mounting surface, said storage rack comprising: amounting component for mounting said storage rack to said mountingsurface; a receiving component for receiving said object; said receivingcomponent being rotatably attached to said mounting component forrotation relative thereto; said receiving component including areceiving component base plate, said receiving component base platedefining a base plate central section, a base plate peripheral edge anda base plate intermediate section extending between said base platecentral section and said base plate peripheral edge; said receivingcomponent base plate also defining a base plate first surface and anopposed base plate second surface; a plurality of retaining wallsextending from said base plate first surface, said retaining walls beingdisposed substantially circumferentially and oriented so as to extend ina substantially radial direction, such radial direction leadingsubstantially from said base plate central section to said base plateperipheral edge; each pair of adjacent retaining walls defining acorresponding wall spacing therebetween, said retaining walls divergingaway from each other in said radial direction so that the size of saidwall spacings increases in said radial direction; whereby said object isadapted to be inserted in one of said wall spacings.
 2. A storage rackas recited in claim 1, wherein said retaining walls extend substantiallyperpendicularly from said base plate first surface.
 3. A storage rack asrecited in claim 1, wherein said plate peripheral edge has asubstantially annular configuration.
 4. A storage rack as recited inclaim 1, wherein each of said retaining walls defines a pair of opposedwall surfaces, at least a portion of at least one of said wall surfacesbeing provided with a friction enhancer for increasing the frictionalforce created between said at least one of said wall surfaces and saidobject when said object contacts said friction enhancer.
 5. A storagerack as recited in claim 4, wherein said friction enhancer includes afriction enhancing texture formed on said at least one of said wallsurfaces.
 6. A storage rack as recited in claim 1, wherein each of saidretaining walls defines a longitudinally extending wall anchoring edgeanchored to said receiving component base plate and an opposedlongitudinally extending wall free edge, at least one of said retainingwalls being made of a resiliently deformable material allowing said atleast one of said retaining walls to resiliently bend substantiallylaterally away from an adjacent retaining wall in a bent configuration,wherein, when in said bent configuration, said at least a portion ofsaid wall free and anchored edges are in a substantially offsetrelationship relative to each other.
 7. A storage rack as recited inclaim 1, wherein said retaining walls extend integrally from saidreceiving component base plate.
 8. A storage rack as recited in claim 1,wherein said retaining walls are releasably attached to said receivingcomponent base plate.
 9. A storage rack as recited in claim 1, whereinsaid receiving component base plate has a substantially disc-shapedconfiguration and said receiving component base plate is rotatablymounted to said mounting component for rotation about a rotational axislocated substantially centrally relative to said receiving componentbase plate.
 10. A storage rack as recited in claim 9, wherein said baseplate central section has a substantially disc-shaped configuration andsaid base plate intermediate section has a substantially annularconfiguration; said receiving component base plate being configured andsized such that said plate peripheral edge is spaced relative to saidmounting surface by a greater distance than said base plate centralsection when said storage rack is mounted on said mounting surface. 11.A storage rack as recited in claim 1, wherein said base plateintermediate section is angled relative to said base plate centralsection by an intermediate-to-central section angle.
 12. A storage rackas recited in claim 1, wherein said mounting component includes amounting component base plate for contacting said supporting surface; amounting pin extending from said mounting component base plate; saidreceiving component base plate being provided with a pin receivingaperture for receiving said mounting pin; wherein when said mounting pinis inserted in said pin receiving aperture, said receiving componentbase plate is rotatable about said mounting pin relative to saidmounting component base plate.
 13. A storage rack as recited in claim12, wherein said mounting component base plate is provided with a fixingmeans for fixing said mounting component base plate to said supportingstructure.
 14. A storage rack as recited in claim 13, wherein saidfixing means includes a fixing aperture extending through said mountingcomponent base plate.
 15. A storage rack as recited in claim 12, whereinsaid storage rack further includes a spacing protrusion extendingbetween said mounting component base plate and said mounting pin, saidspacing protrusion having a contacting surface for contacting said baseplate second surface and maintaining said receiving component base platein a spaced relationship relative to said mounting component base plate.16. A storage rack as recited in claim 15, wherein said contactingsurface is substantially smaller than said mounting component baseplate.
 17. A storage rack as recited in claim 15, wherein saidcontacting surface is provided with a friction reducing means forreducing the frictional force between said contacting surface and saidreceiving component second surface.